The Jaguars, who have now lost six straight games and 12 of
their past 13, scored the game's first seven points, built a 10-2 lead but were
outscored 18-2 after that as the Red Wolves built a 20-12 lead. The Jags inched
their way back to within three points, but in the final minutes of the first
half ASU stretched its offensive wings again to grab a 35-28 halftime
advantage.

South Alabama had some success in the very early moments of
the second half, but it didn't last long. And with Arkansas State making shot
after shot - they hit 13 of 16 shots from the floor to start things off - the Jags
could not recover.

"We knew going into the game it was going to be tough,''
South Alabama head coach Matthew Graves said. "They're a very good team and they're
playing at a high level and coming off a good win. I thought we got off to a
great start; we shared the ball, we moved the basketball, we got some post
touches and during that point we missed a couple of shots that were really good
shots and we were playing in a good rhythm.

"Then we hit a spell where it was an 18-2 run and we just didn't
get enough stops. In the second half, I just felt like there we traded some
baskets and they took off on us again, at one point shooting 81 percent from
the floor. ... There's something wrong there and it's not just on the players. We've
got to do a better job figuring out different ways that we can guard people.
Right now we're really struggling on the defensive end of the floor and it
shows up. Offensively, I thought we scored enough points to win the game, but
you can't give up 85 points and expect to win the game.''

The stats show a closer game, unless one looks closer. South
Alabama shot 45.8 from the floor, compared to 52.8 percent by ASU. But the Red
Wolves were 18 of 18 at the free throw line compared to 11 of 18 for the Jags
and more importantly, ASU made 11 of 23 3-point tries while the Jags were 6 of
19. That's a 15-point difference in treys and seven-point edge at the line that
represents a 22-point edge for the Red Wolves, who won by 24.

"I just think it's our ability to sustain it for long
stretches of time,'' Graves said of the most disappointing aspect of his team's
defensive play. "I can't really pinpoint one area. ... It's bits and pieces.
Maybe four guys are doing their job but that fifth guy lets you down, and it's
a different guy each time. I guess the most frustrating thing is I've seen them
do it, and do it well; we did early in the game. It's just our ability to
sustain it for a 40-minute game.

"We take too many possessions off, and to be quite truthful,
that's on me. I've got to do a much better job of holding guys accountable to
doing it more often in practice or there needs to be different consequences.
That's the bottom line. It's on me to fix this thing defensively.''

There's also these stats: ASU outscored South Alabama 26-16 in the paint, 21-3 off turnovers, 12-3 in second-chance points, 7-6 in fastbreak points and 19-12 off the bench.

The Red Wolves, now 14-8 overall and 7-4 in Sun belt games,
had a lot of contributors to the scoring parade, but none more than Melvin
Johnson II who scored 24 points on 8-of-10 shooting from the floor, including
making 6 of 7 3-pointers. Kirk van Slyke had 17 points and eight rebounds, with
Kendrick Washington adding 12 points and six boards and Brandon Reed offering
12 points. Rakeem Dickerson had eight points.

South Alabama, which falls to 7-17 and 1-10, was led by
Augustine Rubit with 23 points on 9-of-14 shooting from the floor. He also had
five rebounds. Antoine Allen added 10 points, with Ken Williams and Barrington
Stevens III scoring seven points each. Mychal Ammons had just two points (1 of
6 shooting) but added a team-high seven rebounds.

The Jags now travel to Western Kentucky for a 7 p.m. game on
Saturday.